EFFECT OF INTERFERON THERAPY IN A PATIENT WITH CHRONIC ACTIVE HEPATITIS TYPE-C ASSOCIATED WITH INTERSTITIAL PNEUMONIA AND RHEUMATOID-ARTHRITIS - A CASE-REPORT

Interferon (IFN) is widely used to treat patients with chronic hepatit is types B and C but has been found to occasionally aggravate rheumato id arthritis (RA) or cause interstitial pneumonia. We administered 6 M IU/d IFN-beta by intravenous injection for 6 weeks to a 55-year-old ma n with chronic active hepatitis type C associated with RA and intersti tial pneumonia. Transaminase levels rapidly returned to normal after t reatment and hepatitis C virus-RNA (nested RT-PCR method) was negative on completion of treatment. No significant adverse reactions or aggra vation of RA or interstitial pneumonia occurred. These findings sugges t that use of IFN-beta in the treatment of patients with chronic hepat itis type C associated with RA and/or interstitial pneumonia presents no problem if appropriate precautions are taken.